Such automatic vending machines known to date include the example disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Pat. App. Pub. No. 2001-188730. The automatic vending machine in this instance is provided with: a product dispensing mechanism that discharges to the exterior products stocked into the machine beforehand; coin and bill slots (a payment accepting mechanism) through which monies are inserted; a touch panel for displaying various information and via which predetermined information is entered; and a control device for controlling operation of the product dispensing mechanism, and for displaying on the touch panel the various information and processing the information entered through the panel.
When the monies inserted through the coin and bill slots equal or exceed a fixed amount, the control device successively executes: a process of displaying a product selection screen on the panel; a process of recognizing, from the data entered by a purchaser viewing the product selection screen, which item has been selected, to permit the product dispensing mechanism to deliver a corresponding item to the exterior; a process, after the article has been delivered, of presenting, based on the various information displayed on the panel and based on the information entered through the panel, for example, a game resembling a slot machine in which designs are matched; and a process of, after the game ends, checking whether the designs have matched and if they have, once more displaying the product selection screen on the panel, and of recognizing from the information entered through the panel which item has been selected, to discharge the corresponding item to the exterior by means of the product dispensing mechanism.
The automatic vending machine thus configured is designed to create an increase in the number of users of the vending machine so as to lead to growth in sales, not merely by selling the items, but by allowing purchasers of the items to enjoy the design-matching game, and additionally providing an item as a giveaway at no charge when in the game a purchaser has matched up the designs.
Patent Document I: Japanese Unexamined Pat. App. Pub. No. H06-60256